Youth

USAID helps Palestinian youth to prepare for their careers through a variety of activities including internships. Here, Palestinian youth visit a local company to learn about the skills needed to succeed in the workplace.

USAID

About 30 percent of the Palestinian population is between the ages of 15 and 29. As part of USAID’s commitment to empowering young people and engaging them in their communities, USAID has implemented more than 4,000 youth-related activities in the West Bank and Gaza during the past ten years.

USAID’s focus on youth development is integrated into different sectors, including education, health, democracy and governance, private sector development and water and infrastructure. Many USAID programs work directly with youth, offering internships, involvement in local government, volunteer opportunities, educational summer camps and training programs. USAID also provides support to youth-serving organizations, including schools and community centers, to assist them in better meeting young people’s needs. Specifically, USAID works to increase public participation and leadership opportunities for youth; provide youth with necessary skills to launch successfully their careers; improve education services and access to them; and build the capacity of local institutions to address youth issues.

USAID youth programs include:

Partnered with Intel Corporation, Microsoft, and Cisco to provide IT training for more than 2,500 youth at three Youth Development Resource Centers (YDRCs).

Since 2000, USAID has built or renovated 144 youth centers and 100 sport centers enabling Palestinian youth to pursue educational, cultural and sport activities in a safe environment.